1894-O Half Eagle - 1894-O $5 NGC MS61. This crusty and bold, Mint State, Southern branch mint 1894-O Half Eagle has mint luster glowing in protected areas. The strike is above average with full details on some of the stars, Libertys hair, the shield, and the area to the lower left of the shield. As expected for a mint state coin, there is no wear. The surfaces are original and show minor abrasions that are in keeping with the grade.

The New Orleans Mint was authorized in 1835 by President Andrew Jackson, hero of the battle of New Orleans. The bill that Jackson signed also authorized the mints at Charlotte and Dahlonega. William Strickland, a Philadelphia architect designed all three branch mint buildings. The New Orleans Mint building was made in the solid, bulky Greek Revival style of architecture. It was the largest of the three branch mints and located at major port of entry. Unfortunately Strickland did not account for the soft ground around the site. Because of it, the building had to undergo numerous repairs throughout its history.
Authorized to produce gold and silver, the New Orleans Mint struck quarter eagles and dimes in 1839; it operated from 1838 to 1909. In that time period 427 million silver and gold coins with the O mintmark were coined. By the mid 1850s denominations made in New Orleans included three cent silver pieces, half dimes, dimes, quarters, half dollars, silver dollars, gold dollars, quarter eagles, three dollar pieces, half eagles, eagles, and double eagles. The first deposit was of Mexican dollars which amounted to more than 32,400 dollars. The first coins struck were Liberty Seated dimes. Each year between the beginning of August and the end of November, the mint closed because of the annual outbreak of yellow fever.

With an original mintage of 16,600, the 1894-O half eagle, which is the last coin of the denomination from New Orleans, is hardly a common coin. In its population report, NGC shows this coin in MS61 is tied for third finest in a large group of 65 with 16 better.